4/25/2007

See America

It has been a bit since I have written regularly. How annoying. Yesterday my SIL and I took the kids to the National Zoo. We only got to spend one HOUR there because of the parking regulations at the Metro. It was pretty pathetic. I drove a ton yesterday, no joke. We traveled probably five hours to spend one hour at the zoo. Insane. We are going to do it again next week but plan more so we can be there for at least five hours! Good grief! Let's see you try to get a parking space at any metro station during the week when all the lobbyists who live in the burbs commute to their offices in D.C. Forget it. The kids did well though, and I was proud of them.

We have been waltzing around the sites a little since the cherry blossoms blossomed. Not wise, because that is probably one of my allergic reactive problems, but oh well. A few weeks ago we visited Mt. Vernon (and for anyone who does not know what that is---George Washington lived there) with friends from the potato state and we actually sat down at the cafe there and ate a sort of scrambled, weird, little, cramped lunch. The house was cool and we enjoyed that quite a bit, but our friends wanted to move on and so we forsook the Potomac and the slaves quarters. I regret that a little, but we live close so we can always pay a million dollars and go back. It is like Disneyland, I swear.

So, we sat in this cafe, right? And I bought some nachos and fries for the kids because supposedly when we hit Annapolis later we would have a real meal. I am sorry, but George charged a lot to eat at his cafe. It was insane. Disneyland prices, you know? I brought some fruit snacks or something along with me in my purse and dolled them out to the kids during the nacho/fry meal (real healthy). The girl dropped her red fruit snack. She whimpered in protest. The boys commented on how it is dirty now. I swooped over, obeying the "ten second rule," grabbed the snack, put it on her little tray, and said, "Only George Washington's germs are on this baby, don't worry, his ancient germs won't hurt you."

I went and I sat down (to not eat) next to Dear Sir at the other table. I think I grabbed a nacho chip on the way there.

Apparently the girl put the snack to her lips trusting what I said because Eraser Eater said, "Eww! George Washington's ancient germs are now in her intestinal tract!"

11 comments:

KingJaymz said...

You crack me up! I hope my kids are as hilarious as yours.

I envy your trip to Mt. Vernon. I would also love to see Monticello (if you don't know, Google it). I love macaroni and cheese and it was first made there, according to American legend.

Oh, and I have been to Disneyland and spent my own money on food, so I know exactly what you are talking about. Were there flecks of gold on each nacho chip? Perhaps caviar in the nacho cheese? It makes sense they'd serve nachos at Mt. Vernon, after all, they were George Washington's favorite snack food. He never had to feel the chip shards get stuck between his wooden teeth because he couldn't feel them.

PS Costco ROCKS!

R said...

Monticello is literally twenty minutes down the street from us. We went there briefly (it was not open at the time) for a Fall Fiber Festival. It is lovely there. At some point we plan on seeing it all. There is so much we can't keep up!

Eraser Eater hates mac and cheese. I think he is the only kid I know that does. The girl and the Oldest love it. They would appreciate the little blurb of history.


Whenever I purchase really expensive food I imagine (every time) literally taking my money and putting it in the toilet, then flushing it down. I have had visions as well of walking by a trash can and just tossing it in there like I were rich and had nothing better to do.

Anonymous said...

When we went to Disneyland (our kids were older than yours), our oldest pretty much refused to eat because he insisted that the prices were far too inflated. It infuriated him. When we pointed out that it was our money, and that he did not have to worry about it, he still had a very hard time with eating there. I think that eventually I talked him into french fries.

Anonymous said...

Ya know, as bad as they are, I think that Mt. Vernon (I've eaten there) and Disneyland (I eat there often) have nothing over movie theaters when it comes to outrageous prices. I paid $9.50 last weekend for a small popcorn and a small coke. What's up with that, anyway?? $9.50 for what's mostly air and water!!! I don't even want to know what they charge for nachos. Jeesh. Okay, rant's over.

R said...

Shealy---I can see him doing that! He runs to school to save on gas! I mean, that is good, but also, he better pick a real simple woman to wed! :)

JRH---I totally forgot about movie theatres. You are totally right. The most insane. You and I are in the worst movie theatre price brackets in the country, I think, so I know what you are talking about brother. Total robbery.

Leslee said...

Pretty smart bringing along those fruit snack!!! I hate how places like that get away with charging out the wazoo!

Emily said...

Ds won't touch mac & cheese. Anything pasta or pasta-related is abhorent to him. If the girls are eating something pasta-ish or if there is cheese involved he puts a cloth napkin over his head so he doesn't have to see it.

The only exception to the cheese thing is that pizza is his favorite food. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

I always carry snacks to places like that, I'm a snack carryin fool. I think it's funny about the intestinal tract, you could write a book based off that boy!

Jenn said...

10 second rule works.

I was cracking up at your son...very funny.

R said...

Leslee----Thanks, I am cheap.

Emily--That is funny about ds. I understand the cloth napkin over the head. Good idea. Eraser Eater can't stand melted cheese on anything either. However, he loves pizza (especially Dominoes)---probably because they put something unlike cheese on their pies.

Doozie--You are like me. I have to carry snacks too. Not only for the kids (because I get sick of "I'm hungry!" everywhere I turn) but also because I have to have one! I used to not carry anything for myself and I would be grumpy as all get out and found that I am happy as a clam if I just have a snack.

Emma---I agree. Those are natural, ancient germs that really don't count.

Henny Penny said...

BWAHAHA

Never been to any of those places mentioned. Not even the "D" word. Rarely come down out of the mountains...

When I do, I carry glucose.